At a Glance - April 4, 2023
Rajan Sawhney Named as UCP Candidate in Calgary – North West
Following the announcement that incumbent Sonya Savage would not be seeking re-election in Calgary-North West, news broke that the incumbent for Calgary-North East would become the new candidate for the 2023 provincial election. Back in February, Minister Sawhney had announced that she would not be seeking re-election.
Recent statements from both Premier Danielle Smith and Rajan Sawhney indicate that Savage’s departure was a difference maker in this decision. Premier Smith said that “when Sonya Savage told me that she was going to step down so that she could spend more time with family, I went back to Minister Sawhney and I said, 'do you think you might want to run there. And she gave it some consideration and we announced this morning that she has agreed to do that.”
Alberta Ending GDL Program This Year
As of April 1, Albertans will no longer be required to pass an advanced road test to exit the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program. First announced last year, the province is scraping the program and will replace it with a longer road test.
In order to be eligible to exit the program, drivers must be 18 years old, completed 23 months of probationary driving, and be suspension and demerit free for the last 12 months.
Drivers that have an urgent requirement to leave the GDL program may attend a registry to determine eligibility – remaining drivers will be notified after June 25 that they have automatically been exited from the program.
New Name for Provincial Court
Goodbye “Provincial Court of Alberta” – Hello “Alberta Court of Justice”.
The provincial level of court was officially renamed on April 1st, a move that was first signaled in October. According to Chief Justice Derek Redman, “the name Alberta Court of Justice more clearly communicates the nature, purpose, and independence of our work on behalf of Albertans."
Communications advisor Olav Rokne indicated that “it is intended to reflect the extensive evolution from the court’s humble beginnings as a provincial magistrate court to a modern, specialized and professional court of justice.” He would also go onto say that the court has been anticipating this move, so much of the administrative work has been complete for quite some time.
Candidate Steps Down Over Controversial Video
UCP candidate Torry Tanner has resigned following statements she made in a video online. She was previously the candidate in Lethbridge West. In the video, Tanner claims that teachers are showing pornographic material to children in classrooms as early as kindergarten. She also alleged that teachers were helping “change their gender identity with absolutely no parental consent or knowledge whatsoever.”
President of the Alberta Teachers’ Association Jason Schilling stated that “We have a vetted UCP candidate by the party making comments that were not true, comments that were used to create fear for political gain. I am from Lethbridge, I am from that riding actually. I know that the people who are working in our schools, the teachers, are not doing what she indicated that they were.”
Premier Danielle Smith indicated that “I will be working with the local constituency and the party to appoint a replacement in the near future.”
Former Justice Minister Faces Citations
The Law Society of Alberta has laid two citations against Jonathan Denis. Dates have yet to be set for the hearings, but the details of the citations are available on the Law Society of Alberta website. He has been alleged to have “acted for R.M. while in a conflict of interest” and also “threatened to make a complaint to a regulatory authority in an attempt to gain a benefit for his client, C.K.”
Denis is being represented by Alain Hepner, who indicated he is still familiarizing himself with the file and cannot comment at this time.